Interesting 30BR info

S

skeetlee

Active member
This might not be as interesting to you guys as it was for me, but i have had two very smart rifle shooters tell me the same things in the last two days. They Both are telling me that XBR 8208 is an outstanding powder for the 30BR with 112-118gr bullets. Maybe this makes since but i hadnt even thought about it i guess. No questions here this time, im just wondering how well this is already known? I am going to give it a try, hopefully tomorrow, if i get my folks sidewalks formed up early enough. Anyone else shooting this stuff in the 30BR? I sure hope this works out as i have stock piled several pounds of the test lot for the 6ppc, but the funny thing is, neither of these two new barrels seem to like it much, so i really need a use for it. That way i dont feel so silly for buying all this little green army men powder!! LOL!!! Have a great weekend fellas!! Lee
 
Lee...there was a rumor that the 8208XBR was just a bunch of Benchmark powder...and Benchmark shoots well in the 30BR in warmer weather...



Eddie in Texas
 
Just My Luck, I sold all 96 pounds I had, (well, sell is stretching it, I darned near gave it away).

While it might do good, I cannot picture it bering any better than 4198........jackie
 
I agree jackie!! I will give it a fair chance though. Benchmark does shoot really well in my 30BR barrels but the velocity is less than stellar. They do say accuracy trumps all else!! I could only get the Benchmark up to or around 2650FPS. Lee
 
Lee...wait until the weather gets up around 80+ degrees and put 36.5 grains in there...and you'll see some 3,000fps velocities...


Eddie in Texas
 
Lee, I know a few shooters that have used it as well. It's really on the slow side for the 30BR, but since its so dense, you can stuff a bunch of it in the case. 38grs is the load I've been hearing about...
 
Lee...Benchmark. H322...I am not sure if the 8208 is exactly the same, but it should be very close...don't forget to drill out the flash hole to .072" to help with ignition of the slower burning powder...




Eddie in Texas
 
Benchmark (s)

I remember someone saying a couple of years back that in Australia there are two Benchmark powders available, BM1 and BM2. I brought this up before on here and was BLASTED for it but one has to wonder if the Super DUPA stuff selling over here is one or the other of those? It dosesn't make a whole lot of sense to me for company that allready has a good powder at a slightly different burning rate would make yet a third combination.

The 30 BR has been around for a long time now and, as many have discovered, there are a number of powders that will work in it. That said, up hill and down, it is darn tough to beat the H-4198. N-130 is a dern good powder for the 30BR but there was that one year when the dern importer didn't bring any in so it became hard to buy AND the price of Viht powders went through the roof so many found alternatives. I won't buy any Viht powders now because of that episode, same way I try my derndest not to use UPS.

I have about 60 lbs of SMP 735 that works the very best in the 30 BR. I bought it when many were hording so that I could have a powder that would work in a variety of chamberings. I hate using flattened ball powder though so I use either Re-7 or H-4198. It's darn hard to see any difference in them, from what I have experienced. In short, there is nothing new under the sun and in my view, powders are overblown, pun intended, in the 30 BR.
 
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Tony, the only powder I have tried that rivals 4198 is Norma 200. I have tried Reloader 7, it looks good on paper, but it did not work that well in my Rifle.

When I shot the Norma 200, I didn't even change the setting on my measure. I just poured it in the powder thrower, and it shot pretty well, hit that 3000 fps average. ......jackie
 
I to shoot Norma 200 in my 30BR's with good results. I am going to shoot the 8208 in the 30 tomorrow morning. I just hope it works out as i have a lot of it to burn. I stocked up on this stuff because i had a nice used 6ppc shilen barrel last year that shot it very very well with George Ulrich 66gr little uglies. That barrel is tost now, and i cant buy a decent agg with the XBR 8208 in these other Krieger ppc barrels i have. I need to use this stuff for something!! Then on the other hand, if i find it does shoot really well i will be looking for more of this unobtainable test lot 8208, lot 4736. LOL!!! Lee
 
I hear that the new imr 8208 works good in helping your grass and flowers grow.... i bought some to try it out on mine..
ill let you guys know how it works out....:D
 
Skeet, I will be shooting my 30BR most of the day tomorrow, I feel like I have my 6PPC ready for the Crawfish, so I need to shoot the 30 some.

Maybe the key to making the slower powders work, (if you can get enough in), is drilling the flash holes out as Eddie suggested..........jackie
 
Yes the 8208 is shooting great in the 30br with groups in the zeros but the velo was 2675 with 36gr. Pretty slow. Lee
 
Skeet, I was going to the range, a job come in, I have a crew working.

As for the velocity thing, I have found no evidence in a 6PPC that 3450 is any easier in the wind than 3250, that is if both are one a competitive tune.

So, I am not real sure how a light weight 30 would be at below 2700. They get kicked around pretty good at 200 yards at 3000. .......jackie
 
I think i will try opening up the flash holes with this same load and just see if there is any change in Velocity. Temp today was around 70 degrees. I could probably get 37gr of powder in the case but i would have to drop it slow, and it would be compressed, i would think anyway. I stopped last night at 36gr as i havent ever shot this powder in this chambering, and i didnt want to take any real chance!! Lee
 
I have done a little testing with Benchmark in the .150" short 30-30 (exactly 30BR capacity) and Benchmark and XBR8208 in the full length 30-30. All testing was done with 118gr 9 ogive bullets. Keep in mind that this bullet allows more powder in the case than a 7 ogive since I'm only holding onto about .125" of bullet. Benchmark is definetly a little hotter, so using XBR in the 30BR is definetly slow. Results below.

.150" short 30-30 (30BR)

36.0gr Benchmark 118gr - 2721 fps
38.5gr Benchmark 118gr - 2932 fps

full length 30-30

41.0gr Benchmark 118gr - 3075 fps
42.5gr Benchmark 118gr - 3173 fps

42.5gr 8208XBR 118gr - 3105 fps

Other powders tested in .150" short 30-30 that should show promise in the 30BR

34.5gr RE7 115gr Berger - 2958 fps
34.5gr H4198EX 115gr Berger - 2970 fps
36.5gr RE10X 118gr - 3008 fps
38.0gr H322EX 118gr - 2999 fps
36.5gr AA2015 Israeli 118gr - 2967 fps

I used the 36.5gr load of RE10X with a 115gr Berger to take the win in Colorado. I used the AA2015 load in Raton to shoot a .082" group in the last 100 yrd. match.

Michael
 
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